Recreational boating and fishing are extremely popular pastimes in the United States. Every year, an estimated 74 million Americans go boating and 34 million go fishing. This site contains information to help boaters and anglers become better informed in the ways of safety and environmental health while participating in the activities they most enjoy.
What's on your plate?
[Image: NOAA]
Ever wonder about that piece of seafood on your plate: where it came from, its life history, or role in the ecosystem? The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has created FishWatch, a detailed website about the sustainability of U.S. seafood products. FishWatch contains a variety of information ranging from bycatch to nutritional facts. Check it out!
Take me Fishing (and boating)!
[Image: TakeMeFishing.org]
Takemefishing.org, a program sponsored by the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, has information on just about every aspect of these popular pasttimes. Visit their site for safety tips, local events, important conservation information, as well as volunteer opportunities. Learn about the Sportfish Restoration Program, which has been in effect since 1950 and provides tax money to state fish and wildlife agencies for fisheries research, habitat improvement, aquatic education and fishing and boating access facilities such as docks and ramps.
The National Fish Hatchery System
[Image: United States Fish & Wildlife Service]
The responsibility of the National Fish Hatchery System (NFHS) is to help recover species listed under the Endangered Species Act, restore native aquatic populations, mitigate for fisheries lost as a result of federal water projects, and provide fish to benefit Tribes and National Wildlife Refuges. The NFHS works closely with biologists and with the States, Tribes, and the private sector to complement habitat restoration and other resource management strategies for maintaining healthy ecosystems that support healthy fisheries.
